Merry-go-round



- Dec. 28, 1948. w. w. DITTMAR MERRY-GO-ROUND 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 22, 1 945 Patented Dec. 28, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MERRY-GO-ROUND William W. Dittmar, Williamsport, Pa.

Application March 22, 1945, Serial No. 584,167

4 Claims. (Cl. 272-33) This invention relates to a merry-go-round, and more particularly to that type of merry-goround known in the art as a self-propelled merrygo-round adapted to be used by children on playgrounds.

The object of the invention is to provide a merry-go-round so constructed that the children riding upon the same are prevented from being injured, as well as the children standing around the same.

Another object of my invention is providing a merry-go-round in which the frame is mounted on wheels the axles of which are mounted in spaced self-aligning bearings so that the wheels are prevented from jumping the circular track in case the track becomes uneven in any way.

Another object of my invention is to provide a construction which is simple to manufacture and which is very strong and durable in use, the frame being formed of sections connected together by angular members to form a hexagonal frame each section carrying a wheel guard provided with loosely mounted bearings in which a crank axle is mounted carrying pedals disposed under seats upon which the children ride.

With these objects in view:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a merry-go-round constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a merry-go-round the diameter shown by dot and dash lines being greater than the diameter of a line passing through the frame to the outer edges of the pedals so that when the frame is revolved the children standing around are prevented from be ing struck by the pedals.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the Wheel guard and bearings, the bearings being removed and the bolts for securing the Wheel guard being shown in raised position.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section showing the manner of securing the heads to the cap plate of the frame.

Fig. 5 is a detail top plan view of one corner of the hexagonal frame.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the same.

Fig. 7 is a detail section through the side members of the frame and the angular member showing the cap in section, and

Fig. 8 is a vertica1 section showing the bolts for securing the wheel guards in position to the under side of the side members of the frame.

In carrying out my invention I employ a hexagonal frame I composed of six sections each section comprising spaced side members 2 connected together at their ends by angular mem- 2 bers 3 by the medium of bolts 4 the upper edges of the side members 2 being reduced to form tongues 5 which extend into grooves 6 formed in the cap members l. As each section is formed identical, description of one will be sufficient for all. Disposed on the cap member I of each section of the frame is a horses head 8 and a seat 9, as clearly shown. l I

Disposed under each section is a wheelguard II] which is preferably formed of a casting and is secured'in position by bolts l I, as clearly shown in Fig. 8. Each wheel guard is formed exactly alike and is provided with spaced bearings l2 having vertically disposed ribs IS in which are 1oosely mounted bearing blocks M preferably formed of oil-soaked wood having vertically disposed grooves IE to receive the ribs l3, and as the grooves l5 of the bearing blocks M are larger than the ribs a loose fit is formed so that selfaligning bearings are formed for the crank axles l6 which work in semi-circular grooves I'l formed in the under side of the bearing blocks, the bearing blocks resting upon the crank axles so asto support the frame in a horizontal position and yet allow-each block to work independently. of the other so that the wheels 3 carried by the crank axle IE will circle a track I9 even if the track is not entirely level or has become distorted in any way wherebythe'wheels are prevented from jumping the track under any abnormal position and a very novel form of bearing; is formed. The crank axle is provided with cranks 20 carrying pedals 2 I.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings the hexagonal frame is mounted on wheels disposed in wheel guards arranged under each section of the frame and these wheel. guards extend down to the circumference of the wheels as clearly shown in Fig. 4, so that it is practically impossible for a child to get his foot or hand under the wheel as the merry-go-round is revolved and as the frame is hexagonal the arc of the circle is greater at the corners than in between the corners of the frame so that the pedals are within a circle as clearly shown in Fig. 2 which protects the children standing around the same.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a merry-go-round having a hexagonal frame mounted on wheels which in turn have axles mounted in self-aligning bearings so that the wheels ride freely over a distorted or uneven track.

I claim:

1. In a manually pedal operated merry-goround, a horizontally disposed series of frame 3 sections joined together to form an endless frame, each of said sections being hollow and having an open bottom. a wheel guard having solid side walls and open upper and lower ends, the upper ends of said side walls intermediate their lengths being out out with said out out portions having semi-circular shaped bottoms to form bearings, a vertically disposed wheel provided with a transversely extending horizontally disposed crank axle provided at each of its ends with a pedal, said Wheel guard having its upper end secured to the lower ends of the side walls of said frame section,

said wheel and axle being rotatably supported in the bearings of said guard, a bearing block mounted in said guard above each of the axle supporting bearings thereof, said blocks having semi-circular bearing surfaces in their bottoms adapted to engage the top of the axle, said bearings being freely vertically movable, interlocking means between said bearing blocks and said wheel guard to guide said blocks in their vertical movement and. to prevent transverse displacement of the blocks, and the lower edges of the side Walls of said frame sections limiting the vertical movement of said bearing blocks and preventing longitudinal displacement of the blocks from the wheel guard.

2. A merry-go-round comprising a stationary circular track, an inverted U-shaped framework movable over said track, a wheel housin spanning and. attached to the lower edges of said U- shaped framework, said wheel housing having parallel sides depending below the lower edges of said U-shaped framework, a vertical driving wheel provided with a crank axle supported between the sides of said wheel housin to engage said stationar track, said wheel having a pedal driving member extending outside of said wheel housing, said wheel housing carrying vertically movable self-adjustable bearings positioned above said wheel axle, means preventing said bearings from wedging during their vertical movements, said parts cooperating for the purpose described.

3.;'In a wheel supported merry-go-round, a frame section having vertically disposed spaced apart parallel side walls, a horizontally disposed top interconnecting the upper ends of said side walls and closing the top of'said section, said section having an open bottom, a wheel housing having closed sides, a closed front and a closed rear andiopen upper and lower ends, a horizontally disposed flange encircling the upper end of said housing, said housing being secured with its flange in abutment with the lower edges of the side walls of said frame, a vertically disposed wheel within and completely enclosed by said housing and frame, said housing having oppositely disposed cut-out portions in the upper ends of its side walls, the bottom of said out out portions being semi-circular in shape, a crank axle extending through said wheel and rotatably supported upon thesemi-circular bottoms of said housing cut out portions, said crank axle at each of its ends provided with a pedal exteriorly disposed in respect to said housing, each of the cut out portions of said housing provided with oppositely disposed vertically extending ribs, a pair of bearing blocks having a thickness less than the depth of said out out portions and adapted for vertical movement on said ribs, said blocks having semi-circular bearing surfaces in their bottom faces adapted to engage the top of said crank axle,

said bearing blocks being freely vertically movable, and the lower edges of said frame side walls constituting an abutment extending across the upper ends of the cut out portions of the housing and limiting the vertical movement of said bearing blocks and preventing vertical displacement of the blocks from the housing.

4. Amanually propelled merry-go-round adapted'to travel around a circular track comprising, a plurality of straight hollow frame sections joined together to form a frame, each of said sections having a closed top and an open bottom,

an animal head and an adjacent saddle mounted on the top of each section intermediate the length thereof, a wheel beneath the animal head carried by each section, said wheel extending in part up into the section and in part below the section for engagement with a track, a crank axle extending through each wheel and having driving engagement therewith, a wheel housing for each wheel and enclosing that portion of the wheelwhich extends below a frame section, each of said housings being secured to a frame section and having in its upper end a semi-circular shaped bearing for rotatably supporting an axle and the wheel mounted thereon, a freely verticaliy'movable bearing carried by each wheel guard, each of said bearings having in its lower face a semi-circular bearing surface adapted to engage the top of the axle of a wheel, means to limit the vertical movement of said bearings, and the opposite ends of said crank axles at the opposite sides of the frame being provided with pedals adapted to be operated by an occupant of the saddle. 1

WILLIAM W. DITTMAR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 261,290 Wyke et al July.18, 1882 880,927 Smith et al. Mar. 3, 1903 1,065,783 Crowe June 24, 1913 1,476,180 Reagen Dec. 4;, 1923 1,479,737 Prencel Jan 1, 1924 2,012,378 Dittmar et a1. Aug. 27, 1935 V FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 231,388 Great Britain Apr. 2, 1925 

